<p>Hey guys, I'm in a pretty big dilemma, and I can take any help I can get.
Many of you will probably look at the title and say, "oh, Berkeley OBVIOUSLY", but my decision is a lot more difficult.
See, my family is having a very tough time financially (both parents out of job, will have 2 kids in college next year). I've been weighing my decisions quite heavily. I'm majoring in Business Admin.</p>
<p>SCU:
Santa Clara has offered me full tuition AND about $5000 in loans, which is very beneficial for me. It also has the nice, small private school feel. And it will help my parents tremendously because I can just drive back and forth from home after 1st year (I live about 20 min from SCU). It's business program is pretty good too.</p>
<p>Cal:
However, we all know Berkeley is a much more prestigious institution, but it will cost me more in this case. Also, Haas is like ranked 3rdin the nation? And I know a LOT more people going to Berkeley. I know almost no one from my school headed to SCU.
I did not get any financial aid b/c my parents did make a considerable amount of money (100k?) in 2008, and my parents lost their jobs at teh very end of 2008.</p>
<p>Sorry if I sound a little disorganized. . .
Decision time is coming up in less than a week! I really need help.
Thanks for weighing in if you can.</p>
<p>My floor mate had the same problem as you. Both her parents lost their job after she submitted all her stuff, but her dad sent in a letter explaining his job loss and they revised her financial aid and gave her money.</p>
<p>You cannot lose either way! Santa Clara is a well respected school even if it does not have the cachet of Berkeley’s ranking. And ranking isn’t everything! Sometimes is better to be a big fish in a small pond. At SC, you will be one of the top incoming students and will be able to get great grades. You may end up with better opportunities such as internships reserved for top students, etc. You will meet many friends at Santa Clara so do not let the fact that you know more people going to Berkeley enter your decision making process. If anything, having them all at Berkeley while you are at Santa Clara will give you the opportunity to take the train to Berkeley and visit them on the weekends. You will meet double the people. Your parents will not want to force any decision on you even if it hurts them financially. My son turned Berkeley down for a full tuition scholarship elsewhere last year and he has no regrets. Good luck with your decision. Appealing financial aid now will be tough as you probably have to turn in your SIR within a few days and Berkeley may not be able to get back to you quickly. You can always take the Santa Clara money now while times are tight and then transfer to Berkeley if you get accepted into Haas as a junior (only 50% of applicants will get accepted). Hopefully, your financial picture will have brightened by then. At least at SC, you probably know from the get go that you can major in Business.</p>
<p>If you can explain your situtation to cal and get a resonable financial aid package from cal, go ahead. Since Haas is ranked really high, it’ll help you out in the long run (job hunting or grad school) and it will prepare you well. Plus its name wouldn’t harm you.</p>
<p>BUT, if you really can’t afford to go to cal, go to santa clara. it is a good school and if it works out better financially for you, you might end up being happier there than feeling guilty at cal.</p>
<p>Just a thought, if your parents had good enough jobs before to not get much financial aid from cal, its very likely they will get just as great (or better) jobs after the economy turns up (which will hopefully be soon). If this seems very likely, maybe cal will be a better choice down the road. But every case is different</p>
<p>Anyway, its your choice in the end. Hope you’re happy where ever you end up going! good luck!</p>
<p>SANTA CLARA ALL THE WAY. Bezerkeley is wayy overrated, there’s 4 times as many kids there, and the ideologies that float around that place are extreme. Stay outta berkeley. I’m applying to Santa Clara for transfer, and I know several people who go there and have gone there; they all love it. Very good education and far more personal attention compared to Cal or any UC for that matter, except maybe Merced. Go to SCU! Good luck!</p>